The North East India Citizens Forum, Delhi (NEICFD) has urged the Chief Ministers of all eight Northeastern states to adopt a united constitutional position on the proposed Delimitation Bill, 2026, warning that the forthcoming exercise could have long-term implications for the region’s political representation.
The forum, in a statement, called for special sessions of the Legislative Assemblies of all Northeastern states to deliberate on the issue and adopt unanimous resolutions seeking constitutional safeguards for equitable representation in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The NEICFD said representation should not be determined solely by population, citing the Northeast’s strategic international borders, difficult terrain, tribal and indigenous communities, cultural and linguistic diversity, developmental disparities and constitutional protections.
It proposed a minimum of five to seven Lok Sabha seats and two to three Rajya Sabha seats for every Northeastern state except Assam. For Assam, it sought an increase to 21 Lok Sabha seats from the existing 14 and 11 Rajya Sabha seats from seven.
The forum also demanded that delimitation take into account national security, geographical conditions, indigenous and tribal representation, cultural diversity, administrative convenience, developmental disparities, cooperative federalism and balanced regional representation.
Expressing concern over a possible political consensus on the Delimitation Bill, the NEICFD said the Northeast currently has only 25 Lok Sabha members. Even with an estimated 50 per cent increase, the region’s combined strength would rise to only around 37–38 members, while Uttar Pradesh alone could have around 120 members under the proposed formula.
The forum maintained that its demand was not for special privilege but for a fair constitutional framework recognising the Northeast’s strategic and political importance.
It clarified that it was not advocating delimitation before the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or Census, but was concerned that the Delimitation Bill could proceed without addressing the region’s demand.
Describing the exercise as potentially decisive for the next four to five decades, the forum urged political leaders across the Northeast to rise above party affiliations and speak with one voice to protect the region’s constitutional and democratic interests.
